1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for supporting and transporting pressurized gas containers and, more particularly, to a stabilizing caddy which protects the gas container while maintaining it in an upright position.
2. Prior Art
It is common to store pressurized gas in cylindrical tanks having a bottom end on which they normally stand and an upper end to which the outlet valve is attached. These tanks are generally of a small range of standard sizes. In some instances, they are tall and slim and when in use are normally supported by a suitable frame. However, in the case of propane tanks, particularly small propane tanks such as those designated as 20 pound tanks, the tank is still cylindrical, but nearly spherical. These are provided with a foot customarily in the form of an annular collar attached to the lower end of the tank. These small propane tanks are quite commonly transported, either for refilling or from place to place for supplying gas barbecues, for example, or to job sites where they are used by a variety of tradesmen. In such instances, the tank may be stood on its foot and suitable controls, valves, and the like attached to the upper outlet of the tank. In any of these situations, whether being transported or being used with heating equipment attached to the upper end, the tank is not very stable since the annular collar mounted on the lower end of the tank is substantially smaller than the outer diameter of the tank. While this construction may be adequate when the tank is in use, it is essential that the tank be stabilized when it is being transported.
In the past one solution to this problem has been to retain the tank in the corrugated cardboard box in which it was packaged when new. However, such a container soon loses its shape and strength, especially when subjected to moisture over a period of time.
Other solutions have been devised over the years. Indeed, there is an abundance of known devices for supporting gas containers and other items as they are being transported. A number of patents can be mentioned which disclose typical instances of these devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,497,597 to Gatewood and U.S. Pat. No. 2,985,310 to Norris both disclose a carrier and frame for mounting to the front of a mobile home or trailer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,721 to Cummings discloses apparatus for receiving and supporting SCUBA tanks in a boat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,367 to Bott discloses a container having a plurality of open-topped receptacles for supporting loaded shopping bags in a vehicle in an upright position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,922 to Harris discloses a container system for a delivery van used for delivering floral packages.
Numerous other constructions for receiving and supporting propane tanks and the like but not necessarily associated with a vehicle are revealed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,712 to Stempin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,855 to Troiano et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,711 to Mandel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,217,892 to Goodell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,526,009 to Daniels, and Des. U.S. Pat. No. 138,395 to Howard.
It was with knowledge of the foregoing state of the technology that the present invention has been conceived and is now reduced to practice.
The present invention as disclosed and claims relates to a stabilizing caddy for a pressurized gas container which includes a base and a housing upstanding from the base. The housing has a cavity defined by a continuous side wall with an upper rim distant from the base and a longitudinal axis extending transverse of the base. The continuous side wall of the housing cavity is uniformly snugly supportively receptive of an outer surface of the pressurized gas container when the pressurized gas container is slidably received therein such that a longitudinal axis of the gas container is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cavity. The dimension of the housing at the upper rim transverse of the longitudinal axis is substantially less than that of the base. In one embodiment, the housing is substantially conical in shape. In other embodiments, the housing may alternatively be of solid material or of thin wall construction. In yet another embodiment, the housing includes an upstanding tubular member encompassing the cavity, the base being an integral planar plate extending transverse of the longitudinal axis of the cavity and including a plurality of circumferentially spaced rib members lying in planes substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cavity integral with and extending between the tubular member and the planar plate.
A primary feature, then, of the present invention is the provision of apparatus for supporting and transporting pressurized gas containers.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of such apparatus in the form of a stabilizing caddy which protects the gas container while maintaining it in an upright position.
Yet another feature of the present invention is the provision of such apparatus which includes a base and a housing upstanding from the base and having a cavity defined by a continuous side wall with an upper rim distant from the base and a longitudinal axis extending transverse of the base, the continuous side wall of the housing cavity being uniformly snugly supportively receptive of an outer surface of the pressurized gas container when the pressurized gas container is slidably received therein such that a longitudinal axis of the pressurized gas container is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cavity, the dimension of the housing at the upper rim transverse of the longitudinal axis being substantially less than that of the base.
Still a further feature of the present invention is the provision of such apparatus wherein the housing is substantially conical in shape and the cavity is at least tubular and may be cylindrical.
Yet a further feature of the present invention is the provision of such apparatus wherein the housing is of thin wall construction and the space between the continuous side wall and the housing is substantially a void.
Still another feature of the present invention is the provision of such apparatus wherein the housing is substantially a solid.
Yet another feature of the present invention is the provision of such apparatus wherein the housing includes an upstanding tubular member encompassing the cavity, wherein the base is a planar plate integral with the upstanding tubular member extending transverse of the longitudinal axis of the cavity, and including a plurality of circumferentially spaced rib members lying in planes substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cavity integral with and extending between the tubular member and the planar plate.
Other and further features, advantages, and benefits of the invention will become apparent in the following description taken in conjunction with the following drawings. It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory but are not to be restrictive of the invention. The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this invention, illustrate one of the embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention in general terms. Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the disclosure.